Superintendent search needs quick action

January 9, 2014News Extra

BUTLER TWP — The search has begun for three administrative leaders in the Butler School District, and there is already a time crunch.

The Butler School Board administrative search committee hopes to hire a new superintendent by mid-March to give enough time for that person to have a say in who is hired as assistant superintendent and business manager.

It gives the search committee, which met for the first time Wednesday night, only three months to promote the superintendent position and select a candidate.

The last time there was an open search for a superintendent was when former Superintendent Ed Fink was hired in July 1995. A search committee met for almost the entire previous school year.

Al Vavro, committee chairman, said they’re “under the gun” to find someone to replace Superintendent Michael Strutt, who is retiring June 30. Vavro said during the past few weeks, he has looked over what the district has done in the past and what districts in the region have done when looking for a superintendent.

For instance, the last time Butler was looking for a superintendent, there was a 20-person community advisory committee in addition to the search committee. Vavro said he would like to form a similar group.

Vavro, along with board members John Conrad and David Korn, make up the search committee.

Strutt, along with Carolyn Cornish, assistant superintendent, and Cathy Rodgers, business manager, are all retiring June 30. Their retirements were announced in November.